The earliest Baltic amber in Western Europe
Abstract The occurrence of Baltic amber through Europe has traditionally been associated to the spread of the Bell Beaker culture during the 3rd millennium BC. In Iberia, this phenomenon is particularly noticeable in the southern half. Here we present an amber bead recovered in a Late Neolithic fune...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41293-0 |
| _version_ | 1797576602772570112 |
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| author | M. Murillo-Barroso A. Martín Cólliga M. Martinón-Torres |
| author_facet | M. Murillo-Barroso A. Martín Cólliga M. Martinón-Torres |
| author_sort | M. Murillo-Barroso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The occurrence of Baltic amber through Europe has traditionally been associated to the spread of the Bell Beaker culture during the 3rd millennium BC. In Iberia, this phenomenon is particularly noticeable in the southern half. Here we present an amber bead recovered in a Late Neolithic funerary cave (3634–3363 cal BC) from northeastern Iberia where more than 12 individuals had been buried. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results of four samples revealed their complete resemblance with Baltic succinite reference spectra. Despite being a single bead, this finding provides the earliest evidence for the arrival of Baltic amber to the Mediterranean and Western Europe, before the Bell Beaker phenomenon and more than a millennium earlier than traditionally thought. This finding has implications for our understanding of early exchange networks of exotic materials, and their associated social structures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:55:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2de7196f74a94c1894da2494922bf4cb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:55:17Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-2de7196f74a94c1894da2494922bf4cb2023-11-19T13:08:41ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-08-0113111210.1038/s41598-023-41293-0The earliest Baltic amber in Western EuropeM. Murillo-Barroso0A. Martín Cólliga1M. Martinón-Torres2Departamento de Prehistoria y Arqueología, Universidad de GranadaGovernment Institution of Catalonia-Generalitat de Catalunya, Archaeological and Paleontological ServiceDepartment of Archaeology, University of CambridgeAbstract The occurrence of Baltic amber through Europe has traditionally been associated to the spread of the Bell Beaker culture during the 3rd millennium BC. In Iberia, this phenomenon is particularly noticeable in the southern half. Here we present an amber bead recovered in a Late Neolithic funerary cave (3634–3363 cal BC) from northeastern Iberia where more than 12 individuals had been buried. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results of four samples revealed their complete resemblance with Baltic succinite reference spectra. Despite being a single bead, this finding provides the earliest evidence for the arrival of Baltic amber to the Mediterranean and Western Europe, before the Bell Beaker phenomenon and more than a millennium earlier than traditionally thought. This finding has implications for our understanding of early exchange networks of exotic materials, and their associated social structures.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41293-0 |
| spellingShingle | M. Murillo-Barroso A. Martín Cólliga M. Martinón-Torres The earliest Baltic amber in Western Europe Scientific Reports |
| title | The earliest Baltic amber in Western Europe |
| title_full | The earliest Baltic amber in Western Europe |
| title_fullStr | The earliest Baltic amber in Western Europe |
| title_full_unstemmed | The earliest Baltic amber in Western Europe |
| title_short | The earliest Baltic amber in Western Europe |
| title_sort | earliest baltic amber in western europe |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41293-0 |
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